Ice cube tray



y 1951 c. A. BAUER ET AL 2,551,411

ICE CUBE TRAY Filed June 21, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TORS C/mezzs /7. 5 9051? 411141 By flu/r/v J1 A f/Mi.

y 1951 c. A. BAUER ETAL 2,551,411

ICE CUBE TRAY Filed June 21, 194'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS all/71945.5 i. fifiuzewrzd latented May 1, 1951 ICE CUBE TRAY Charles A. Bauer, Newburg, and Allan S. Kothe, Evansville, Ind., assignors to Hoosier Cardinal Corporation, Evansville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application June 21, 1947, Serial No. 756,252

1 Our invention relates to ice-cube trays of the type commonly employed in domestic refrigerators. It is the object of our invention to produce a tray which can be simply and economi- 6 Claims. (Cl. 62-108.5)

longitudinally of the tray along the central line thereof. At intervals along its length the bottom edge of the rib I5 is provided with notches I6, while the upper edge of the rib is provided cally manufactured and from which the ice cubes 5 with a corresponding number of notches H. can be readily freed. Each pair of notches I6 and I! provide a means In "carrying out our invention, we employ a for attaching to the rib I5 a transversely extray which is conveniently generally rectangular tending fin 20, desirably of sheet-metal like the in shape and has upwardly diverging side and tray and rib I5. Each of the fins 20 is provided end walls. For reception in such tray, we pro- 10 with a central notch 2| which extends downvide a grid comprising a relatively rigid central wardly from the upper edge of the fin and which rib adapted to extend longitudinally of the tray is just wide enough to receive the central rib I5. and a plurality of transversely extending fins Desirably, the notches I6 and 2I are deep enough which, in co-operation with the central rib, dito permit the lower edges of the fins 20 to occupy vide the interior of the tray into two rows of inpositions slightly above the lower edge of 1the rig dividual cube-compartments. Associated with I5. The notches IT in the upper edge of he ri each of the transverse fins there is a means facil- I5 are wider than the notches I6 in the lower itating the application of a manual force or edge to permit the reception of the mid-portion forces tending to distort the fin from its normal of an operating member which embraces the plane c ndition. The fins are made of metal upper edge of each fin 20 and which is secured flexible enough to yield slightly under such forces; ther t a by rivets 26. As will be obvious, the d t y itself is also preferably made of grid is assembled by inserting the fins 20 into the metal suffioiently flexible gotpermit it go beofiloeeled tches is from below and sulgsequefitg attsachg from the outer surface 0 he ice cu e ei or by ing the operating member 25 o eac n. uc the pp c of a torque to the entire y 25 operating member bridges the upper end of the by the ir zplicatim of ta saiie'ailing elgort applie central notch 2| in the fin and, by engagement l' e e mi -l 0f 6 ywith the bottom of the notch I'I, prevents the he a p y d a illustrate fin from being withdrawn from association with F P I d 2 t 1 1 d the central rib I5. Desirably, the notches H are 165966 We 5 a D an VleW an deep enough to permit the fins to drop downa longitudinal 'SBCUOII through a preferred form Wardly to positions in which their lower edges l l F g 3 3 1 g f gfi secffilon g the 5 are somewhat below the lower edge of the rib I5. 5 own In an 4 15 a ragmen a The connection between each fin 20 and the View Similar to 1 but 9 the grid central rib I5 is not a rigid connection, as the 19x5152 g g ?gg ;E 5:1 5 fin can move generally vertically in its own plane p 18 n E to the limit provided by the excess depth of the gi fihigg g g gg f g g gg 23 353 notches I? and can also rock to a limited extent transverse section and a fragmental plan view f? gfi 1th 5 central f further modification and Fig. 9 is a frag- 40 pm Owever e no G es i e o a narrow enough to prevent any substantial bodily mental longitudinal section similar to Fig. 2 illusmovement of the fin in a horizontal direction zigi ig g gz dlfierent arrangement of the parallel to the central rib or to prevent any sub- The tray illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 comj rockllng of g fin n g prises a bottom wall l0, side walls II, and end S Own p ecause Q ns are no t rigidly attached to the central rib, I prefer to arwalls I2. The tray is desirably formed as a sneet 7 range the notches I6 and Il so that each rib is metal stamping, preferably of aluminum, with held in an inclined position, whereby the reaction the side and end walls II and I2 converging of the tray-bottom It on the lower edges of the downwardly so as to facilitate both forming of fin in t d t t them the tray and removal of the ice cubes therefrom. S W en am p051 Ions To eliminate sharp edges and also to increase 171311130 the cfintlal The p y D I S o Strength, the rim Of the tray may be turned the lost motion permitted by the extra depth of downwardly as indicated at I3 in Fig. 2, the notches I6 and I1 is to insure that engage- The grid for reception in the tray comprises a ment of the central rib I5 with the tray-b ttom vertical, sheet-metal rib I5 adapted to extend It will not prevent the fins from engaging the tray-bottom to be rocked thereby into a position substantially normal to the central rib.

Each of the operating members 25 is of channel section throughout its extent transversely of the tray. Over the mid-portion of the operating member, the channel is just wide enough to receive the upper edge of the associated fin 20, to which it is secured by the rivets 26; but'beyond the rivets 26, the channel is of gradually increasing width toward the outer ends of the operating members, as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 4'. By applying the thumb and forefinger to any operating member at the points indicated by. the arrows in Fig. 4, it is readily possible to apply to the associated fin 20 a torque tending to rotate it about its line of junction with the central rib l5.

In using the device described, the grid is put in place in the tray and the tray is filled with water to the desired level and placed in thefreez; ing compartment of a refrigerator. When ice cubes are desired, the tray is removed from the refrigerator and the bondbe'tween the tray and the ice therein is broken. To breaksuch' bond, outwardly directed forces maybe applied with the thumbs to the upper'ed'ges of the side walls II as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1' or, as an alternative the ends of the tray can be gripped in the hands and the tray subjected to. a torque about its longitudinal axis. The 'metal of which the tray is formed is sufficiently fiexibleto permit it to yield under either of the distorting infiuences mentioned with the result that the bond between the ray and the ice is broken progressively by a peeling action which can be carried out with relatively little effort. To'insure'that the tray will not be filled to a depth which will prevent the application of outwardly directed forces indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, the side walls H may extend upwardly somewhat farther than do the end walls l2.

With the bond between the tray and. the ice broken, the cubes are then freed from the grid by applying a torque as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4 to the operating members 25. It is usually desirable to free first the cubes at that end of the tray where the end fin 2U slopes opposite to the adjacent end wall l2, or to the left-hand end' of the tray in Figs. 1 and 2. The twisting effort or torque applied to the operating member '25 is transmitted to the associated fin 26 near itsmidpoint, and the resulting distortion of the fin breaks the bonds between it and the ice cubes on each side of it, as well as breaking the bond be tween the end ice cubes and the c'entralrib. If more than the two end ice cubes are desired, a torque is applied to the second. operating member 25, thus freeing the next pair of ice cubesin similar fashion. By applying Itorquesfisuc'cessively.to. all the operating members, all the ice'cubes are readily freed from the grid.

Instead of applying a twisting torque to each. individual transverse fin 20 by oppositely directed. forces applied to opposite ends of the associated operating member as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, corresponding ends of adjacent operating members may be gripped between the thumb and forefinger and forced toward each other] This' action likewise subjects the fins to warping effords which break the bonds between the grid and and the ice cubes. In this connection, it is to be noted that until the bonds are broken the presence of the ice cubes. opposes movement of the fins, and this opposition in cooperation with the manual effort applied above the ice level-to the operating member 25 causes the fin to warp.

in the constructions previously. described; butthe,

In the modified form of the invention illus trated in Fig. 5, a fin-warping effort is applied to the ends of the fin rather than to its mid-portion. In this construction, a metal clip 30 of U-shaped cross-section embraces the upper edge of the fin 20 near its mid-point, bridges the upper end of the notch 2| in the fin, and prevents downward withdrawal of the fin from the central rib l5. Associated with each fin there are a pair of operating members 3|, each of channel section. At their outer ends, the channel-section is just wide enough to receive the upper edge of the fin 20, to which it is secured by a rivet 32; but inwardly beyond the rivet 3,2 the channel-section is of gradually increasing width.

Cubes are most conveniently freed from the grid of Fig. 5 by placing the thumb against one side of one operating member near the inner end thereof and the forefinger against the opposite side of the other operating member near its inner. end;. whereupon, by forcing the thumb and forefinger toward each other, warping efforts are applied to the outer ends of the 20, The resultant distortion 'of the fin 20.- breaks the bonds between the. grid and the ice cubes.

To prevent injury or permanent distortion of each fin from warping, each operating member is desirably arrangedso that itsmovement rela tive to the fin as a wholefis limited. the grid illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, this-limitingresults from engagement of thesides'of the fiaring outer ends of the operating member with the upper edges of the associated fin 29, as indicated in Fig. 4. In the case of the gri d shown inFig. 5, the extent to which each fin: can be warped is; limited by engagement of. the inner ends of the operating members 3l with the 3 0;. willbe noted that in both constructionszso far described, three thicknesses ofmetalf occupy each notch l1. When the grid is removed from the tray, or even when itis in the tray withthe icebondsbroken, swinging movement of each fin about its junction with the central rib [5 will bflimited by engagement of the sides ofthe operating member or the sides of the clip ap with theledgesof thenotch n. The central rib L5 which need possess no appreciable flexibility, may b e made. thick enough c withstandinjuryfrom any effortlikely to be applied to the sides of the notches [1.

In themodified arrangement illustrated in Fig.

notches l'i;- in the. upper edge .of the central-rib l5. are made wider, than in such. other-constructions. The centralportion of thecupper edge of eachfin 2U.is relieved to a point below the bot.- tom of the associated notch ll, toleave at the ends of the. fin two upwardly projecting. ears The, operating meansfby which. the-fin is.- dise. ,torted comprises a single. operating. member 35 which. extends transversely. of the. gridand has its ends. secured as byrive'ts 37= to the. cars 35; Desirably, the lower edge of the operating member 36 is located above therelieved central portion of the fin, so that=thepperating member can pass through the plane of thefin when the operating member is moved longitudinally-of:the-central rib l5.

The operating member-36 must be sufficiently .rigid that a horizontalforceapplied-ator near the center of the operating member will result in the imposition of ian appreciable.fin-warping effort on the. ears 35. may be imparted to the operating member. by

75.;forming it. of generally semi-.circulan.crossrsec- If desired, such rigidity.

tion, as indicated in Fig. 6. The sides of the operating member extend below the bottoms of the notches ll" and are provided with notches 38 receiving the central rib. The notches 38 limit the extent to which the fin may be rotated about a vertical axis relative to the central rib !5, while the sides of the notches l'l, by engaging the sides of the operating member 36, limit the extent to which the operating member can be moved longitudinally or" the central rib and hence limit the amount oi fin-warping.

In operating a grid of the type illustrated in Fig. 6, the bond between the ice and the tray is broken in any desired manner, and one of the end operating members 36 is then moved longitudinally of the central rib toward the adjacent end of such rib by a force applied in or near the plane of the rib. As previously brought out, longitudinal displacement of the operating member 36 under such a force will impose a warping effort on the fin 20 with the result that the ice bonds between the end cubes and the grid will be broken. By moving successively operating members 35 longitudinally of the central rib in the same manner, additional cubes may be freed from the grid.

The further modification of our invention illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8, is much the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 except that instead of providing an operating member permanently associated with each individual fin we employ an operating member which can be brought into association with any fin. As indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, the construction of the central rib l5 and the fins 20 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 5, the clip 30 secured to the upper edge of each fin bridging the open upper end of the notch in the fin and preventing the fin from becoming dissociated from the central rib. The operating member 60 shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is of channel cross-section. Spaced inwardly from one end of the operating member, the section is narrowed, as indicated at 4|, so as to receive the clip 36. In opposite directions from the narrowed portion 6! the channel is of gradually increasing width, as indicated at &2 and 43. Beyond the tapering portion $3, the operating member is of uniform width to provide a handle 44. Notches 45 may be provided in the side walls of the operating member 40 at the center of the narrowed portion ll to receive the central rib i5 and thus locate the operating member transversely of the grid and limit the extent to which it may swing relatively to the central rib.

In operating the grid shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the operating member 40 is applied successively to the fins 20, each fin being distorted by the application to the handle 44 of a horizontal force generally parallel to the rib I5. As a result of the application of such a force, the associated fin 20 is warped in the same manner as are the fins in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The extent to which each fin can be warped by the operating member i0 is limited by engagement of the flared sides of the operating member with the upper edge of the fin.

In Fig. 9 we have shown a tray and grid which is identical with that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 except that the fins 20, instead of sloping in the same direction, slope oppositely outwardly and downwardly from the middle of the tray.

All the grids described have in common the fact that an operating member is connected (or connectible) to the upper portion of each fin in a manner which permits the operating member to transmit to the fin a torque'about a generall'yiver tical axis in the plane of the fin. To facilitate the creation and application of such torque, each op-- erating member extends preferably transversely of the grid, from its point of connection with the fin to a point of force-application adapted to re-' ceive the thumb or a finger of the operator. The application of a force normal to the operating member and at a point thereon spaced from the connection between the operating member and fin results in the application to the fin of a torque which warps the fin-i. e., distorts it from its nor-' mal substantially plane condition. The fins are made of material rigid enough to possess a defi nite shape under all stresses to which they are subjected in normal use except the stresses resulting from the fin-warping torque imposed by the operator when the cubes are to be released; but, at the same time, the fins are flexible enough. to yield appreciably when the fin-warping torqueis applied and elastic enough to resume their normal shape upon release or the torque. One suitable material for the fins is the aluminum alloy known as 61 ST (yield strength 39,000 pounds per square inch) 0.025 inch in thickness- The tray, which like the fins is called upon to sustain a warping action without permanent injury is desirably made of a softer material in or-- der to facilitate its manufacture. We have found a suitable material for the tray to be the aluminum alloy 52 SM H (yield strength 29,000 pounds per square inch) 0.030 inch in thickness.

We claim as our invention:

1. A grid for dividing an ice-cube tray into a plurality of compartments, said grid comprising a central, longitudinal rib, a plurality of trans-- verse, longitudinally spaced fins mounted on said. central rib, and means for independently warping each of said fins, said means comprising an operating member non-rotatably attached to the fin and extending transversely of the grid from, its point of attachment to a point of force application, said operating member at such latter point being free to move longitudinally of the: grid relative to its associated fin.

2. A grid for dividing an ice-cube tray into a. plurality of compartments, said grid comprising a central, longitudinal rib, a plurality of transverse, longitudinally spaced fins mounted on said central rib, and means for independently warping each of said fins, said means comprising an operating member non-rotatably attached to the fin and extending transversely of the grid from its point of attachment to a point of force application, said operating member at such latter point having a limited freedom of movement longitudinally of the grid relative to its associated fin.

3. A grid for dividing an ice-cube tray into a plurality of compartments, said grid comprising a central longitudinal rib, a plurality of transverse, longitudinally spaced fins mounted on said central rib, and means for independently warping each of said fins, said means comprising an operating member of channel cross-section having spaced side walls, said walls having parallel portions adapted to receive the upper edge of a fin and diverging portions adapted to engage the fin and limit rotative movement of the operating member about an axis in the plane of the fin and normal to the upper edge thereof.

4. A grid as set forth in claim 3 with the addition that said parallel wall portions are located intermediate the length of the operating member and secured to the upper edge of the associated fin adjacent the central rib, the side walls 7 of said operating member diverging from each other in both directions from their parallel portions.

5. A grid as set forth in claim 3 with the addition that said parallel wall portions are located intermediate the length of the operating memher, the side walls of said operating member diverging from each other in both directions from their parallel portions.

6. A grid as set forth in claim 1 with the addition of means for limiting movement of said operating member relative to said central rib.

CHARLES A. BAUER. ALLAN S. KOTHE.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,913,536 Culmore June 13, 1933 2,240,004 Morton, Jr., et al. Apr. 29, 1941 10 2,291,437 Andersson July 28, 1942 2,372,483 Geyer Mar. 2'7, 1945 

